Homeward Bound
by Beeder
Summary: After being faced with an impossible choice, Angel must decide who she truly is and where she truly belongs: in the human world above or the mutant world below. In an epic conflict between heart and head, she discovers where her true loyalties lie. Follow up to the story Angel Wings.
1. Chapter 1

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"It's amazing how five months on your own can allow time to heal even the deepest of wounds. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"After my encounter with Hun and his goons I had taken some serious hits, not all of them style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI had scars, bodily, emotionally, and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy physical wounds had healed within a few weeks, but even Mikey could tell I was… style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't focus, couldn't sleep, couldn't bring myself to laugh or style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFinally, Splinter had pulled me aside one evening and insisted I take some time to myself, to 'meditate, heal, and find myself again'.span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAt first I had refused, claiming I had spent enough time away from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSoon, though, I had seen the wisdom in his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo I left, and here I was./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"The woods around me were serene and silent. The aspens were a brilliant yellow, their white bark peeling off in white sheets. I grabbed several of the bigger flakes and stored them in my pack for later. My pack, nestled between my wings, was strapped snugly to my chest around my ribcage so it didn't bounce around as I moved. It was a simple leather one April had picked up at an antique shop for me. I had brought nothing with me but the clothes I was wearing, my pack, and a small granola bar Leo had insisted I bring. I smiled to myself, remembering how upset Leonardo had been when he found out I was only bringing the bare essentials./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Leo, the point of me going up to the mountains is to get away from these kinds of things, remember?" I had asked, shaking the package of store-bought snacks in his face. He frowned. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Yes, but you're also going to be gone for five months and haven't packed anything for food!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Come on, Leo. I've told you before: I'll find stuff up there to eat. Thanks to my mutation I can survive on food for days that wouldn't last you guys a few hours. And I can digest a lot of berries plants that even humans can't. I'll find stuff to eat. Besides, you know I eat like a bird." I winked at him. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" We finally settled on me taking two boxes of granola bars with me-one for the way there and one and one for the way back. I had been here for a good three and a half months already and had finished the first box several weeks ago save the bar I had with me. I had discovered early on that I could go several days without eating if I was careful, something that came in handy if I wanted to have a long meditation session that lasted a few days. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" In the months I had been here I hadn't seen a single person and honestly I didn't mind at all. It was a welcome break from how hectic that last few months had been. Splinter had finally convinced me to leave the city and take a little time to myself so I could recover. The others, however, particularly Mikey, were more reluctant to let me go. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "But who will watch movies with me at three in the morning and play with my action figures for hours on end?" Mikey wailed when I told them all I was going. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "And who will help me shut Mikey up when he's bein' annoyin'?" Piped in Raph, trying to mask his distress with sarcasm. I chuckled. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "You survived without me for sixteen years. You can do so for another five months."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Five months?!" Mikey nearly fainted at that, sinking to his knees, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his head in my stomach. "I can't live without my little sparrow for five whole months." I put my hand underneath his huge chin and lifted it up so is eyes locked with mine. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Don't worry about it. I'll be back before you know it. I promise."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Does it really have to be five months?" He asked, returning his head to my stomach and squeezing me tighter. I gasped as he accidentally pushed all the breath out of me, still not used to his incredible strength. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Yes." Answered a voice from the hall. Leo appeared from his bedroom and joined us in the living room. He took one look at his little brothers' faces and his gaze softened. Raph was pouting in the corner, trying to not show how distraught he really was. Donnie was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to him and was fiddling with some of the equipment on his belt the way he always did when he was upset. Mikey refused to let me go. Ever since my close call with the Purple Dragons a few weeks ago they had all become very protective of me and the thought of letting me be on my own for an extended period of time bothered them deeply. That evening, after much debating and even a few raised voices, Leo had finally convinced them to let me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI slipped away quietly the next morning before any of them had woken up. /span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" It had taken me a good week of solid flying just to find a good spot to settle down for a few months and I finally chose one of the Rocky Mountains next to Pikes Peak. The lack of oxygen would have bothered most people after a few days but I reveled in it. The extreme cold and thin air kept unwanted eyes away and let me be completely and blissfully alone for as long as I wanted. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" Right now I was working on finding a suitable place to bed for the night. I would spend the next few nights here, then start my long journey home. em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I'll surprise the boys by coming home a few days early/em, I thought. My hair, which had grown noticeably longer since I left, fell into my eyes as I scouted the immediate area and I pushed it back impatiently. A bird called overhead and my ears pricked. One of the many side effects of my mutation was that I could understand birds. Not in human words like they did in the cartoons, but I could tell what they were trying to say and could respond in kind. This one was looking for its mate. He sounded frantic. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" I looked around me and found the worried bird sitting on the tree branch next to me, turning his head this way and that looking around for his lost love. He was a massive eagle, bigger than any other I'd seen. I chirped a response, letting the sing-song sound tumble from my lips and into the air. The eagle looked at me sharply, distrust instantly masking his face. I fluffed my wings, drawing his attention to them. He was confused at first, but relaxed a little bit when he recognized them for what they were./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Where is she?" I asked. He refused to answer, still clearly puzzled. "I can help you," I said. Suddenly there was a sharp cry from the other side of the gully and the eagle took off. I followed him. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" We flew up above the trees and looked down. If he was surprised to see me with him up among the clouds he didn't make any indication. We flew for two or three minutes, then by a stroke of luck we spotted her, trapped underneath a pile of rocks. It looked like a huge rock slide had happened a few hours ago and she had gotten trapped underneath some of the bigger rocks. The eagle landed beside her instantly, rubbing his head against hers as she lay trapped. I landed a respectful distance away, knowing that he would be fiercely protective of her right now. I asked again if I could help and finally, after consulting with his love for a moment, agreed to let me try. I walked up to them slowly, making no sudden movements so I didn't scare them. Then, grabbing the bottom rock, I heaved upward. The pile of rocks shifted slightly, allowing the elegant bird to squirm out and into the protective care of her mate. They looked at me silently, their eyes filled with gratitude. I simply bowed my head and crooned affectionately. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I think it's time families were reunited, yes?" I asked no one in particular, leaving the two mates to return to their nest and tend to their children. Then, looking to the darkening sky, I realized it was about time my family was reunited too. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I spent the next fortnight making my way back home to the Big Apple. The return trip took longer than expected and, thanks to some unexpected stops along the way, I actually arrived a few days late. I knew the boys would be worrying about me, but I wasn't ready to reveal myself just yet. I decided to have a little fun with them first. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" I arrived downtown just after dusk, the darkness lending me cover from unwanted eyes. It was a Friday night so the boys would be out doing their regular routine check of the rooftops throughout the night. Lucky for me, I knew their schedules like the back of my hand. I flew close to the rooftops until I reached the building where Don would be in about three minutes, according to my watch. I plucked one of my feathers out and set it on the ground in plain sight then shot myself into the sky. My wings flapped powerfully in the silent night air and soon I was high above the building amongst the clouds. I would be able to see him. He would not be able to see me. Then I would move on to the next brother. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" Soon enough, and right on time, my purple-clad brother appeared on the side of the building with as much noise as a ghost. I watched him carefully, not prepared for the rush of emotion that overtook me at the sight of him. It was all I could do not to rocket down there and into his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI missed him so much! span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut the promise of an amazing reunion with all of them soon enough gave me the strength to restrain myself. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" He picked up the feather and examined it carefully, his face widening in surprise as he began to recognize it. Time to move on to the next brother. I giggled, heading east. Within a minute I was pulling the same trick on Leo. Surprisingly he recognized it faster than Donnie did and I had barely made it out of the vicinity before he started searching the sky for me. Raph and Mikey were both thoroughly confused, but I think they realized what the feather meant before Leo sent a mass text on his shell-cell calling everyone together. I watched Raphael look at the bright screen of his device dubiously./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "In Central Park?" Asked Raph to no one in particular, obviously disgruntled. He grumbled as he put his shell-cell away and headed toward he grassy abode. I smirked as I realized Leo had figured out my scheme and was playing along perfectly. I took off from the water tower I was perched on and rocketed off toward the park. By the time I had reached the park and figured out where they were, the boys were talking amongst themselves. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "You really think she's back?" Asked Mikey, his voice full of hope. I landed on a nearby tree silently and listened in. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Why else would we find four foot-long black feathers all on the same night in places only she knew we would be at the exact moment we would be there?" answered a patient Leo. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Yeah, by my calculations the odds of that happening by natural causes are next to nothing, even astronomical. There are too many unknown variables to qualify it as being merely an accident. There has to be some constant, a mastermind of you will, behind the whole operation..."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Speak English, Brainiac," said Raph. Now was my moment. I leapt off the branch and landed on the ground a few feet away from the group. I tucked my wings behind me and gave them a huge grin. Four green heads snapped up, four pairs of eyes not daring to believe what they were seeing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I think what Donnie is trying to say is that I'm home." I said. Nobody spoke. Then, all of a sudden, Mikey burst out screaming for joy, throwing his hands up in the air and rushing towards me. He pulled me into a massive bear hug. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "YOU'RE HOME!" He screamed, laughing. My arms crushed against my side, I was helpless against his strong grip. I was laughing and crying at the same time, overjoyed at seeing my brothers at the first time in months. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Outta the way, shell-brain, it's my turn." Rumbled Raph, shoving Mikey out of the way and picking me up by my armpits, holding me out at arms' length. Then, without any warning, he pulled me close and gave me a quick, fierce hug. "Good to have you home, little bird." He whispered. He set me down, ruffling my hair with his massive hand. Donnie was the next up, picking me up and spinning me around. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "You're actually here! I was right, I knew it couldn't be an accident! It's been so long..." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Yes, Dee, I'm actually home."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "And a good thing, too," came a deep voice from behind me. Donnie set me down and I stood to face Leo, his blue eyes full of love and happiness. "Too much longer and I'm pretty sure Mikey would have driven us all clinically insane with how much he's been asking about you." He smiled and held out his arms. I grinned and leapt into them, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling myself right against him. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I missed you guys." I said, feeling a burning in the back of my eyes. I fought the tears, not wanting them to see me cry. Before they had a chance to spill over, Leo also lifted me up and spun me around, setting me neatly on his shoulders. I giggled, setting my hands on his head. He grabbed my ankles so I wouldn't fall off and then we began walking towards the edge of the park. The others followed eagerly. They all began bombarding me with questions and I had barely enough time to answer one before I was being asked another. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "So where did you go?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I went up to Colorado and-"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "How long did it take you to get there? How long did you fly?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I flew on and off for about a week. It's a long flight."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "What muscle groups worked the most while you were gliding? Are they different from when you fly close to the ground? And how did you figure out the aerodynamics of your wings as you flew?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I just kind of felt it, Donnie, I wasn't really thinking..."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Did any of those park rangers give you a hard time up there? Bet they were freaked out to see a giant flying pigeon in the Rockies."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I'm not a pigeon, dork, and no I was not seen."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" It went on like that while we traveled home. The stench of the sewers was a bit of a slap in the face after spending months out in the open, but I soon grew re-accustomed. Splinter was pleased to see me again and calmly asked how my extended meditation was. I knew he was really asking if I had healed the way we had hoped I would and I responded in the affirmative, much to his pleasure. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" About an hour later there was a knock at the door. Donnie jumped up to open it. To my surprise, it was April and Irma. Irma was a short, spunky, black-haired girl who used to work with April and, through a few suspicious and unexplainable encounters, had become good friends with the turtles. She was a few inches taller than me and a good two years older, but for all intents and purposes we were basically twins. We had only met once or twice in between my rescue and my leaving again, but we had become fast friends during that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe squealed when she saw me, a rare noise for her that clashed with her tom-boy personality that wouldn't touch a pair of high-heels with a thirty-foot pole. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Angel!" She cried, rushing towards me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Irma!" I laughed, catching her in a big hug. The others chuckled. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Looks like the wonder twins are reunited at last." Said Raph, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. Irma punched him in the arm and slipped her other arm around my waist. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Sorry, boys, but April and I are capturing her for the evening and a good part of tomorrow" Irma announced. "A little bird whispered in my ear that it was her birthday a few weeks ago and she conveniently forgot to inform us, so we're having a girls' night out."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" My heart style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey weren't supposed to know!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey's jaw dropped and his eyes grew cold and too late I realized my mistake. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "You... It was your birthday? And you didn't tell me?" Mikey asked quietly, rounding on me. I was slightly terrified. Mikey, the party animal of the family, simply loved throwing parties, especially birthday parties. And not only had I not been at home for my birthday, I had completely failed to even tell anyone it was happening. I was in deep, deep trouble. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Mikey, just calm down," I pleaded, positioning myself behind Irma, who looked smug. Mikey would have none of it. His blue eyes were practically blazing with fury. He suddenly pointed to April, who also appeared amused. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "You, April, will escort our winged traitor out and you and your girl friends will have a good evening doing whatever girly stuff it is you do on a night like this. Take Irma with you. My brothers and I have some serious stuff to do." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" I gulped. I wasn't sure if this was going to be the best night of my life or the worst one. /span/p 


	2. Chapter 2

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"April's apartment was totally decked out before we even arrived. It had streamers, balloons, bowls of various candies, candles lighting the entire room instead of lights and what appeared to be an at-home spa set-up in her kitchen. I gawked. April just giggled. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen when they found out you had tried to skip your birthday and I planned style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo only called me an hour or so ago, so I didn't have much time to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut I think it turned out well, don't you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "No pink," Irma noted approvingly. "That's good. I can only stand pink for so long before I go bonkers. If we plan to finish everything tonight I'm gonna have to have a clear mind" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "And what all did you have in mind?" I queried, wary of their answer. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Oh, nothing much, dear. First dinner, than a spa night, doing our nails, then watching a movie. By the time the movie gets finished we'll drop you off at the lair. You're all theirs for the rest of the night."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Oh, bother." I moaned good-naturedly. "So what's for dinner?" /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Chinese Takeout." Replied Irma enthusiastically. "And I ordered plenty, so you'd better actually eat somethin' tonight. You look like you're made of skin and bones, girl."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "To be fair, I've been literally eating like a bird for the past five months and let me tell you, that's not much to live off of. Even for me." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "I can tell, hon, now let's get you into the shower."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; tab-stops: center 4.0in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "But...food."span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" "Food will have to wait. You stink and I won't be able to hold my breath for much longer so get in there!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" I rolled my eyes, but I complied, locking myself in the bathroom. My large wings were awkward in the small shower. I bumped against the wall multiple times and knocked over the shampoo bottle at least a dozen times. Eventually, after scrubbing every inch of my body, I was done. I was clean. And I was hungry. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" I entered the room in my pajamas, the bottom of my pants dragging on the floor as I walked. I realized with a start that I had missed being around people, missed hearing the sound of other peoples' style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe five months by myself had helped me recover from the trauma of my capture and now I was back and I needed to rebuild the life I had here before this all style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma gave me a smile as I walked in, tossing me a soda style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI caught it easily./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""About time you showed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril ran down to the lobby to get our food delivery, but she'll be up style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhile we wait, you and I can pick out a movie and get started on the spa stuff" she said, making a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI raised an eyebrow and sat down next to her on the couch./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Irma, you wouldn't touch anything even remotely related to a spa with a ten foot pole before I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat happened?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I did," answered a voice from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril was there, expertly balancing at least half a dozen boxes of takeout in her arms and sliding the door shut with her foot while simultaneously tossing her room keys onto the little table she had beside the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"With you gone, I had no one to have a girls' night style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo, Irma became my next style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was quite fun, actually!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDid you know you can curl her hair and it looks absolutely gorgeous?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Irma shrieked in protest, but I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"No way!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI simply must see this."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDefinitely style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm leaving," huffed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe stood up and made for the door, but I squeaked and grabbed hold of her wrist, preventing her from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""No, no!" I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I won't subject you to that kind of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAt least, not tonight."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""That's right," she affirmed, sitting back down and giving me a mischievous grin. "Tonight, we get to work on em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you/em."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""What?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""She's right," said April firmly, shoving a box of food into my open style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe aroma wafted out from the box and filled my nose, making my mouth style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril continued, "You've had the last five months to yourself and skipped out on your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanUntil the boys are here breaking the door down—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Which might not take too long," muttered Irma under her breath./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""—then you belong to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo let's see… I'm going to start with your hair, then do your nails, then your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma, can you start preening her wings?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't want any yucky feathers messing up my look when I'm done."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Excuse me? /emYuck!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNo style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm not pulling out any moldy style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNuh-uh." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Guys, that won't be necessary, really!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI always preen before a long flight, so I'm clean, thank you very much. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBesides, my feathers are all black, remember?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou wouldn't be able to tell the difference style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd my feathers are not moldy!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Okay, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFair enough," agreed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma just shrugged and went back to eating the chicken she had started nibbling on from one of the many boxes now cluttering the coffee style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"So I start with the hair, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSimple."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""What are you going to do with my hair?" I asked warily, leaning away from her slightly. She just chuckled, taking the unopened box of food out of my hand and pulling me up into a standing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI grabbed for the food, but she swatted my hand away and shoved me back toward the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""First I'm going to trim it and maybe give it some style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNothing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust a little style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen I'll figure out what I want to actually do with it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""But I want em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"food!/em" I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe tsk-tsk-ed at me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Then you should have started eating when you had the chance, sweetie"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I was defending my feathers from your unnecessary and completely unscrupulous comments!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""That was Irma, not me, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSpeaking of Irma… Irma!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCan you put the movie in and get to the opening scene?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Sure thing, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShould I just pick one?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMake it a long style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe need an actual excuse to keep her here for more than an hour if we want to keep her away from the boys" she called, putting her hand on the small of my back and leading me into the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI heard Irma style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't help but chuckle, too./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You guys are making it seem like you're going to have to actually fight them to keep me here." I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril winked at me, but then a sad look came over her face as she began to get the small vanity ready for her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI sat on the edge of the bath and turned my back towards her, lowering my wings so she could get to my hair, and waited for her to speak./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""They've missed you, Angel," she said at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI could hear the pain in her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"More than they care to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou've become such a huge part of the family, such an important person to all of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut to them style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma and I are their connection to up here, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut you, you are with them all the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou got to know them in ways I'll never style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're… Oh, how do I say this?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanUm, let me put it this style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI know it was months ago, and I hope you'll forgive me for bringing it up, but when you were taken from by Hun and his cronies…"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI flinched involuntarily as she said style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril, not noticing, started brushing through my hair as she style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"… the boys were style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNo, they were beyond style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey were style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'd never seen them so style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd then they got you back and… Oh, I wish you could have seen the change in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI swear it was like looking at totally different style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey were so happy and were actually laughing again. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was so funny to see them get so protective over you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Funny?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTry borderline annoying." I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril just smiled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I know after a while, not letting you go anywhere unaccompanied was probably a little frustrating, but can you blame them?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey let you out of their sight for three minutes and suddenly you were gone for what might have been style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey weren't willing to go through that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd then they could tell that something was off with you, and that bothered style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou should have heard the midnight conversations Leo and I had as he tried to explain to me what you were doing and I suggested what he do about style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was so worried, em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"is/em so worried, about style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut you were past the point of our aid and needed some time on your own, we could style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen, in the nick of time, Splinter suggested you take some time to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEveryone agreed, but then you said you'd be gone for so long…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""The boys have been without you for far too long and it really was only by Mikey's good graces that we actually got you style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI wish you could see the change in all of them like I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey need style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust as much as you need them."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril wasn't offended by my silence, for which I was grateful, and she gave my shoulder an affectionate style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI leaned my head on her hand for a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen she was back to brushing my hair and the moment was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNot gone, just style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEventually she had me sit on the counter with my hair over the sink so she could cut it (somehow managing to avoid clipping my wings in the crowded space, thank goodness).span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen she added some goo here and other nasty-smelling liquids there, then had me sit absolutely still for a few minutes while she let it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSeveral steps and many different hair products later, my hair was successfully trimmed and highlighted here and there with a gorgeous tawny style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril looked over her work approvingly, occasionally tugging a curl here or there to separate it from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFinally she said, " style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're done style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLet's go get some food and I can start on your nails."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Deal!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI can definitely eat one-handed if I need to." I said eagerly, not bothering to look in the mirror at my new style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril frowned slightly, but I was too focused on getting to the food to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma had picked one of my favourite musicals as the movie and I squealed in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""How'd you know?" I asked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe shrugged, slurping a noodle in a most un-ladylike style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Lucky style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI had heard you sing it enough times before you went to your five-month time-out session to realize you probably liked it" she style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI frowned, realizing that the first time Irma had met me was during a time where I had been still recovering from the whole capture style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe had barely known each other for three weeks before I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I grabbed a box of food and a fork and began eating before April or Irma could demand I stop em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"again/em to do something totally less important than eating food, like finding pajamas that actually fit and didn't drag on the floor when I walked or style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou never knew with these style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe ended up watching the movie for a good hour before April remembered she wanted to do my nails and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter some finagling, I was able to convince her that doing my nails was not an option./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Besides," Irma piped in, eating her third fortune cookie, "We both know that she'd scrape them off the second you left her alone long style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's what I do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"April frowned at me, but I just held up my hands in the I-surrender style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You know she's right, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm sorry, but it's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou know I never wait long enough for them to dry before I do something so I always end up with nail polish in my hair or on my wings and not on my nails. And that stuff never comes out."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNever" confirmed Irma, lifting her foot into the air to reveal a bright pink splotch on the outside of her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril gawked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""When did you use bright pink nail polish?" she asked, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma grimaced./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Seven years ago, when I was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI haven't grown since then and these are my favourite shoes."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You've had those shoes for seven years?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Eight, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe first year I was too in love with them to even take them out of the box, let alone wear style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen I finally did begin to wear them, it was mostly inside the house and only a precious few times outside on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt wasn't really until I hit high-school that I started wearing them all the time"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""As in, literally all the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't think I've ever seen the chickadee without them" said a voice from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAll three of us spun, only to see an upside-down Mikey hanging from the fire-escape above our floor so he could see in through the window, which was propped style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma shrieked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""No! You don't get her yet!" she cried, scrambling for the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey, realizing too late what she was doing, reached for the window but, in doing so, lost his grip on the fire-escape and crash landed on the metal mesh style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA tangle of limbs and gear, he finally managed to stand up, only to see Irma latch the lock to the window from the inside and slam the blinds style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey pounded on the glass in despair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""But we're ready!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou've had your turn and now it's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe's our sister, for crying out style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDon't family count for anything?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanInside, Irma stubbornly crossed her arms and yelled through the glass./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""She may be your sister, but she's my twin, so BACK OFF!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe get her for at least another hour and a half."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Not cool, man!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPlease? I—ow!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"There was the sound of a smack, followed by a rumble that sounded suspiciously like Raphael, who had, presumably, been hiding up on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI strained my ears to listen./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Jus' let 'em have her until the movie style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's not like she's disappearin' again anytime style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was your idea to send her over here in the first place, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNow ya gotta deal with it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""But I don't want to deal with style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI want my little birdie back!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""We all do, shell-head, but you gotta let girls have their style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's, like, an unspoken rule or somethin'.span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBesides, April'll bite our heads off if we don' let em finish whatever stuff they're doin' in there."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""But I—Oh, blast style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou mean we have to…? Aw, man!" Then, speaking loud enough to be heard normally through the glass: "Okay, you guys can keep her until you're style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust make sure she gets over to our place as soon as possible, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Sure thing, Mike!" assured Irma, turning back toward style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI giggled./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You guys were right about having to fight to keep me here."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Well, seeing as we're now on borrowed time, why don't we get going?" suggested style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"If you insist upon me not doing your nails, let me at least do your makeup."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""If you must."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"It went like that for the rest of the evening: me eating food while April tried patiently to get my makeup on, Irma sitting on the couch laughing at me and feeling glad April wasn't trying to put makeup on her, and the movie playing softly in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEventually April did succeed in her task, though I didn't bother to look at myself too long in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI thought of myself as a plain girl, and whoever it was that was looking at me was most certainly not plain and therefore could not be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter the movie was finished, we all agreed to play a card game and just chat for a while before I headed back to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""So what's your plan now?" Irma asked, playing her UNO style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI shrugged./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""No style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust keep going on with life like normal, I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'll have Donnie help me get registered for some online classes so I can finish my junior year and eventually graduate high school."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Angel, dear, you have no way to do style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs far as the school system is concerned, whoever you were before you mutated is style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou'll have to start from scratch, I'm afraid" said April, giving me a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI groaned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Aw, great!" I cried./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""What? The card or the whole having-to-redo-high-school deal?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Yes!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBoth, I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI mean, look at it, Irma!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNot only do I have to endure preCalc again, but I have to draw four stinkin' cards because April here is a little stinker."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Little?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're the tiny one here, dear."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Suddenly there was a buzz from April's cell style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEveryone style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen, answering the phone, April started to laugh to herself as she heard whoever it was on the other side begin to talk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""It's the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou have approximately three minutes to get to the top of the roof before Raph storms in here and steals you himself, apparently."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""He'd never fit through the window." I said, calling his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere was the sound of a static-y em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"'oh, yeah?' /emfrom the phone and I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaybe I was wrong on that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Okay, then, I guess that means I'd better get style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI need to take extra care to not mess up this new look of mine, now don't I?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd that means it'll take longer for me to get to the roof."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBetter get goin' then," Irma admitted, giving me a quick style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI hugged her back style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen, after hugging April and thanking them both for the wonderful evening, I hopped out the window and into the night style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I hadn't been in the air but a few seconds before something huge crashed into me and sent me flying sideways, pinning my wings against my back and rendering them style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI screamed and braced myself for impact, but my screams turned to giggles as Mikey turned our tumble into a controlled fall onto the neighboring style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe landed on his back, spinning from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFinally we came to a halt and I sat up on his chest dizzily, still laughing./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Good to know you're still alive," I said, standing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe winked at me from his spot on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI tried to take a few steps backward so I could help him get up, but my dizziness overwhelmed me and I tripped over my own style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTwo impossibly strong hands caught my elbows and kept me from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI looked up at my walking safety net./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Thanks, Leo"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""No problem, stinker" he teased, helping me to my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI shook my head to clear the last of the dizziness away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I'm not a stinker!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril and Irma both insisted I shower before they fed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd then April insisted she do my hair and my makeup and she was about to find pajamas that actually fit me but then you called and—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Wait, April did your hair?" demanded Mikey, scrambling to his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph came over to join in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSuddenly standing between the three massive turtles I began to feel very style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNot that I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI always liked feeling small anyway./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLook!" I turned and lowered my wings so he could see my new hairdo in the dim style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo's eyes widened and Mikey straight-out style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI pretended to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"It's not like you never saw me do my hair," I chided./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Yeah, but It's just so…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Beautiful?" Leo style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA slight blush crept up my cheeks at the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBefore I could stammer out an answer and make a fool of myself, Leo's shell-cell began beeping style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe pulled it out of his belt and looked at the screen, his gaze style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"We've got to go," he said style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Mikey, I'm sorry but your party is going to have to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonnie said there's something fishy going on down at the docks and we need to get there ASAP."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Well of course there's something fishy at the docks," grumbled Mikey, folding his arms. "They're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"docks/em! There will always be fish there."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo, ignoring Mikey's quips, turned to me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Do you want to come, Angel?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI know you just got back, so it's totally up to you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIf there's trouble, I want to be there to fix style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBesides, it's about time I got back in the swing of things," I assured style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe nodded once./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Are you going to fly?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI rolled my eyes and took off into the air, smirking as I watched them topple over from my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI made it to the docks with a few minutes to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph and I made it before Leo and Mikey, so Don had some time to give me a run-down of the situation before the fighting style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApparently he had picked up some weird signals coming from em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"under/em the water in the East River that were unlike anything he had seen style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe wanted to check it out./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""So you called off Mikey's party on account of some weird fish-calls?" asked Raph style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonnie frowned and pulled his goggles over his eyes, pulling up his holographic computer style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe pressed a few buttons until a recording came up. It didn't sound like much, just a bunch of static intermixed with random clicks and whistles./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""If those are fish noises, then Animal Planet needs to rethink their show," he said. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"The dock itself was pretty dismal, many of the boards going out to the river cracked and all of them slimy and wet with moss to some style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph and I started patrolling the edge of the dock while Don checked the water. Leo and Mikey showed up a few minutes style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe hadn't been there for three minutes before a man stepped out of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was a tall, gangly creature with mouse-like features and a bad style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe wringed his hands nervously as he looked at the Turtles, then he saw me. His pale yellow eyes lit up as his gaze met mine, and I felt my skin crawl in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You came," the man said simply. He giggled nervously, wringing his hands even style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI thought they were going to unscrew at the wrists and fall off at his feet. "I d-d-didn't think you'd actually style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThis is great!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Why did you want us to come in the first place?" asked Leo dangerously, his katana ready in his hands. The others were similarly style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I-I-I was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTo deliver a m-m-m… a m-message," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""What's it say?" Raph barked, taking slow steps toward style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe man flinched and backed away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I'm n-n-not sup-p-p-posed to actually s-say style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust g-g-get you to listen to it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""And how are we supposed to listen to the message if you won't tell us?" asked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I mean, Donnie's smart and all, but even he can't listen to telepathy thingies." Then he turned to Donnie. "Right? You can't…"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonatello just rolled his eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"You/em don't hear the message," said the man, suddenly sure of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe stood straight and stopped wringing his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs we watched, the frail mousey-man who stood before us em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"transformed /embefore our very style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe grew taller; his chest and shoulders grew broader; his pasty white skin grew darker and darker until it was a deep chocolate-colour; he filled out and became style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe wore nothing but sturdy camo pants and combat style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanGone was the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBefore us stood someone who could be a body-builder, an Olympian, a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe spoke again, his voice now style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"They/em fight style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanem style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"You /emhears the message."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"With a start I realized he was looking directly at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHis eyes were the different, now a dark brown, almost black color, but now they were filled something other than fear: pity, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWithout a word, the Turtles circled around me and looked at the man who had suddenly become a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust as silently, dozens of men began slinking out of the shadows of the dock, some even climbing up from under the soggy dock style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey weren't anything to be afraid of individually, just low-lifes and punks with big sticks that hung around deserted corners late at night, but the sheer number of them would provide a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Angel," Leo said, turning his head a fraction so I could hear him but never letting his eyes leave the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You need to get out of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs soon as they start attacking, take to the sky and don't stop until you get to the lair, understand?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI gulped./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Sure style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou sure you can handle it here?" I asked, making half and attempt at a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo never got the chance to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe goons all attacked at once, charging the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOnce the fighting began, I took to the sky as soon as the guys were clear, but I hadn't made it twenty feet before I felt something wrap around my ankle and tug me down to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI landed in a huff, nearly twisting a wing when I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI scrambled for the chain around my ankle, but it was all tangled style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSuddenly, a pair of big, black hands covered mine and dragged me to my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe man who had refused to deliver the message held me up a few inches above the ground and for the millionth time I cursed my legs for being so style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI tried to kick him, but he spun me around so my back was to him and pinned me in a massive bear-hug-like grip that pushed all the air out of my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI heard Donnie yell something at me, but I was too focused on trying to suck in some air to really hear him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You don't have to be like this, you know," whispered the man into my ear as he began walking backwards toward the end of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Like em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"them/em."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe nodded toward the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen he added quietly, "Like style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe're not normal, are we?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSomething is different inside our genes, inside our style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFor them, they're half-human, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI can be whatever I want to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut we're not happy with that, are we?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOh, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe want to be em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"normal/em!" He hissed the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe were almost to the edge off the dock and I was truly desperate for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI could see black spots at the edge of my vision and my struggles to get free were becoming weaker and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe chain attached to my ankle, I noted vaguely, was also attached to a two-hundred-pound weight at the end of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Suddenly he dropped style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI fell to the ground, gasping for air. The man looked at me blankly. Then, out of nowhere, he knelt down beside me, took my face in his hands, and kissed me gently on both style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLooking me directly in the eyes, he said just loud enough for me to hear, "Little style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust think about it, okay?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith that, he shoved the weight over the edge of the dock and into the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI barely had enough time to suck in one last breath before my chain dragged me off the edge of the dock and into the freezing East style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"The weight hit the bottom of the river within seconds—the part we were at was only about forty feet deep, after all—but the pressure was still style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy head felt like it was going to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI screwed my eyes shut in an effort to keep them from popping out of my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIn the midst of all this I heard a strange sound in the quiet of the river: the sound of two pebbles being hit style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTo a normal person it would sound like just that, but I recognized it as the call of the black scoter, a seabird with a unique style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe clicking sound was followed by eerie wolf-like call of the loon. It was a strange sound to hear at the bottom of the East River, but what the calls were saying (thank you, mutation skills) interested me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""…don't have to be like this your whole style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou can be em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou can be with your family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIsn't that what you want? To be with them again? I can make you style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI can take away your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou don't have to be like this your whole life…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""…help style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou can help style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe can help each style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou just have to let style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI, Baxter Stockman, promise not to hurt you any more than in necessary to make you style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust please, let me help style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI can help you…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"The two voices chirped at the same time, but I was able to make out both style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI didn't register what they were actually saying because I was too focused on my head feeling like it was going to explode, but something told me it was very style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust when I was ready to accept my fate and die on the bottom of the river, something broke the chain holding me to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI began floating upward, but stopped a good twenty feet below the surface—my wings were dragging me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanUsually so waterproof, the rush downward had gotten through my outer layers of feathers and drenched the soft inner style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNow my wings felt like fifty-pound weights on my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't swim upward—they were too style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Suddenly a pair of hands gripped mine and I was rocketing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy head broke the surface and once again I found myself gasping for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy wings started to pull me back down again and Raph grabbed my arm, hoisting me back up style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was treading water, but he could easily support both my weight and his. Leo, too, was in the water with style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey and Donnie were still on the dock taking out the last of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLungs still heaving, I tried in vain to make my way to the wooden structure, but my wings were deadweight, even when I tried to flap them and push me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph grabbed me and shifted me until I was laying on his shell, arms wrapped around his neck, while he paddled toward the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo was right behind us, making sure I didn't all style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOnce we reached the dock, Raph handed me to Mikey, who pulled me up onto the dock and laid me down on my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy chest heaved and filthy river water gushed out of my mouth, burning my lungs and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI hadn't even realized that I'd swallowed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Vital signs are way off but slowly style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCore temperature rising back to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBlood pressure style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAdrenaline levels still high…" Donnie said, crouching over me and using his techy thingies to make sure I was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI began shivering violently, though whether it was from being wet or nearly drowning I couldn't style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Oh, angelcakes, you're gonna be alright, okay?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe're gonna get you all patched up and you're going to be just fine," assured Mikey hurriedly, peeking over Don's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph and Leo, who had finally pulled themselves out of the river and onto the dock, were taking off what gear they could to wring the water out of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""The kid isn't back for ten minutes and yet she still manages to almost drown in the river."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""It wasn't her fault," chided style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph just rolled his eyes. After making sure I could count backwards from twenty and that I knew my ABC's, Donnie let me stand style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy wings and clothes were still dripping wet, so instantly there was a puddle of murky water at my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI pouted./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""April would kill me if she saw the state I was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd I just took a shower, too!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNow I'm going to have to do that all over again just so I can smell somewhat decent."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy voice sounded scratchy. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Can you do that at home?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI know we don't have all the fancy stuff that April does, but we've got everything all nice and clean for you and I've got a killer party all set up and I've been waiting for this day for months, little bird, and—ow!" Mikey was interrupted by a smack on the back of the head from Raph, who had come style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""She's got the idea, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou mention the party one more time and I'm gonna…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Got it!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanGot style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou don't have to be so pushy about style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanGeez"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Leo came style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Before any of that happens, do you guys have any idea who that man was?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe one that transformed, or whatever it was that he did?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Baxter Stockman," I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonnie looked at me sharply./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""How do you know that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Suddenly I was very reluctant to tell them what I had heard in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI hadn't had time to really register anything that had been said, but something told me that if I told the guys about what I had heard that I would never get the chance to really sort it out for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo I bent the truth a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""He told me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRight before he threw me into the river."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""But Stockman died years ago," Donnie style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"It was in the papers for a while and every scientific mind mourned his loss, including style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was an absolute genius!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOne of the greatest minds in biomechanical engineering to ever walk the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut like I said, he died in a car style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere's no way it could have been style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhoever that man was, he was most definitely not a human, let alone a dead one." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I opened my mouth to protest, knowing full well that they would believe me if I actually tried to convince them, but something stopped style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey was the only one to notice my slight hesitation before I quickly changed my alibi. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Then I must have heard style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith my adrenaline rushing the way it was and with how loudly the river was rushing, he could have said pretty much style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI guess Stockman's name somehow popped into my head while I was down in the river." I said, not meeting anyone's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey seemed to buy it, though Mikey gave me a curious look. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"We finally started making our way back to the lair, where I promptly took a shower and put on some old clothes I found in my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen Mikey led me into the front style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't know how long he had spent decorating the place, but it looked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere were balloons, streamers, pillows the size of me, and stuffed animals galore on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe had even made a fort out of couch cushions and blankets right in front of the TV just big enough for the two of us to fit in if we wanted,span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonnie had cleaned up his computer desk so it wasn't the usual mess in the corner that I had gotten used style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo had disappeared as soon as we had arrived to update Splinter on what had happened, but he had finished and was talking with Raph on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBoth of them were sprawled out lazily on the assortment of cushions and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonnie was still in his lab researching the details of stockman's death just to be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI slipped inside the doors to his lab and left Mikey to get the food ready and the movie style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSure enough, there was Don with his little laptop researching everything he could find on the late Baxter style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI glided over to him and gently, but firmly, shut the lid of his laptop, causing him to blink rapidly for a few seconds as he transitioned back to reality./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Really, Dee," I said as calmly as I could, "I was just imagining style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt must have been somebody style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLet's not worry about that right now, okay?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMike's got this whole party planned and we would both be disappointed if you weren't there to share in the fun."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Donnie chuckled and stretched his arms above his head, his muscles flexing just the tiniest style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI was struck once again at just how strong he was. "And I'm pretty sure you'd both kill me if I wasn't there style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLet's get out there before the others realize we're gone," he said, moving his laptop to his work station desk and standing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI followed him out of the room, but stopped at the doorway to the living room and leaned against the wall, looking inside. I smiled to myself as the purple-clad turtle settled down next to his brothers on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey came out with the food things and set them down on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe had to swat his brothers' hands away as they tried to grab for the food, insisting that they should wait for me to start style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph made some joke and everybody started style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"As I watched these four turtles, four brothers that had taken me in so long ago, a memory stirred of my human family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy heart ached as I remembered them and I longed to see them style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe last time I had done that was last Christmas, and that didn't really style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd if what Stockman had promised me under the river was actually possible, that he could change me back to being human… I could go back to life with my family./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"But you have a family here,/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;" a little voice screamed inside of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI grimaced./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"But I have one up there, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd that's where I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith them, with people!, a/span/emspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"nother part of me argued back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"But they've moved on without style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou wouldn't be able to fit in anymore. /span/emspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"It countered. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Hey, pigeon!" Raph called to me, spotting me there in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI shoved my arguing voices deep down into a bottle of emotion and screwed the lid on as tight as I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI would deal with them style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI plastered on a smile and hopped over to where the Turtles style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Are we ready to get started yet?" I teased, settling on Mikey's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe grinned and hugged me around my waist./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Now that I've got my personal lap heater, yeah" he said, throwing Raph a smug style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph rolled his eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You know you're gonna share, right?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey grinned mischievously./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""We'll see about that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"The playful banter went on like that until the movie started, where it quieted down to a few quiet comments or jokes here and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe cake Mikey had made was divine and I had more pieces than I probably should style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut each time I took a bite, the lid on my emotion bottle unscrewed just the slightest bit and I had to keep pushing it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDown, down, down./span/p 


	3. Chapter 3

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"The next few days were pretty style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI got back into the swing of things with practicing with the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt seemed like they had grown since I had left, if that was at all style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI found it difficult to keep up at first, both physically and mentally, but was able to hold my own by the end of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe next week was pretty much the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs was the week after style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril popped in and out every few days to say style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs did style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLife had officially returned to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWell, for most of us anyway./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanNo matter how hard I tried, I simply could not keep Stockman's invitation out of my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was taunting me, teasing me, begging me to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut I had just gotten back—I couldn't leave them now!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNot when I had just spend the last few months away from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't do that to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut at the same time, I em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"did/em have a family, a human family, who loved me just as much as, if not more than, my family did down style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt shouldn't have been a choice I had to think style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut here it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanOne bright Thursday morning, Master Splinter was been watching me go through my katas when he first noticed my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe called me out on it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you cannot focus on what is in front of you, child, how do you expect to get where you want to go?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI paused in my movement, successfully snapped out of my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was then than I realized that I was about seven inches away from running into the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhoops…span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI tried to avoid his unasked question by making some half-hearted response or excuse, but he saw right through it (as I knew he would) and said something that stuck with me:/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I do not know what you are style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNor do I pretend style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI've been watching you, my dear, and I can tell you are thinking about your family up style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't know what you are thinking, but I do know that no person, however unusual they may be, can live two lives. Just as a servant cannot serve two masters, we cannot obey two conflicting parts of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanChoose one, follow it, and never look style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhatever your mind and your heart is telling you, you must figure it out on your own if you are to ever find true style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNone of us can do that for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd rest assured, Angel, that whatever you do we will love you just the same."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow could he have known?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs I looked into those kind, brown eyes I felt like he was looking not just at me, but into style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe really meant everything that he had style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTears pricked at the back of my eyes as the answer I had been looking for suddenly became crystal style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI rushed to him and hugged him as tight as I could, wings and shoulders shaking as I cried silently./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm going to miss you so much," I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaster Splinter held me steadily, his wiry fur brushing my neck style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHis wrinkled hand rubbed my back in soothing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe said style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter a minute or two I pulled away and tried to pull myself style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith a start I realized that his eyes were more watery than usual: he was crying, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"May I suggest," Splinter said, "that you go tell your brothers?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey will be most upset at the news, but they should be mature enough to understand. If you are to do this, you must get on it at once before you change your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe heart is a fickle things and prone to cave to doubt if you do not keep it strong."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI nodded, giving him one last style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeaving the dojo, I steeled myself for what I was about to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"span style="mso-list: Ignore;"·span style="font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';" /span/span/spanspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""WHAT?!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 221.25pt;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"No way!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAbsolutely not."span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Why in the world…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I don't get it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Guys, just let me explain—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Explain? Explain what? You're leavin' style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat is there to explain?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"There is absolutely no logical reason that I can see—"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Guys…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I just don't get it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Why can't ya just stay here? We not good enough for ya?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Guys!."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Who am I going to cuddle with?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWho's going to be my little lap heater?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Are you sure you've thought this through?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"GUYS, will you just STOP FOR A MINUTE?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm TRYING to EXPLAIN!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThat got style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanVery rarely did I ever raise my voice, even more rarely at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe were in the living style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey had all been watching a movie and I had asked to talk to them style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe TV was still going quietly in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo reached over and turned it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe silence was deafening as they waited for me to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTheir faces were a mixture of distress, confusion, fear, but most of all style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey didn't understand. What could I say to make them understand?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI opened my mouth to say something, then decided to try something style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI stood, walking over to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEven sitting down, he was still almost as tall as me as I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI took his head between my hands and guided his face up until his blue eyes met style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen, lowering my hands to his shoulders I turned to the others./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What would you do if Mikey died?" I asked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe shock of emotion was almost tangible./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We would… we would never be the same," Raph huffed, trying to act tough but not really succeeding. "He may be a pain in the neck, but he's still family."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Exactly," I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Now what if Leo died?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOr Donnie? Or you, Raph?" The family would always be missing a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNow what if you found out that the brother you thought was dead was really not, that you could go and get him style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat would you do?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We'd never stop until we had him," Leo style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI nodded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Now what if you couldn't save him?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat if he had to choose to come back on his own?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSuddenly, they style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonnie's shoulders slumped and he put his head in his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph folded his arms, but not in an angry way; in a resigned style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey's lip style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo was the only one to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHis voice was sad but determined./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"How can we help?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"There was more anger when I told them my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey didn't believe me at first that Stockman was alive, but finally after admitting the fact that I had lied to them (earning a frown from Splinter, who was watching from the kitchen) and some serious research into Stockman's "death" on Donnie's part, they warmed up to the possibility that he might just be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWell, alive is a relative style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat he might exist in the human world, would be a more appropriate style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI told them I planned to talk to Stockman and have him help me, but Donnie was the only supportive one out of the four. So, it was Donnie and me against the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Leo was adamant that we find a different way, Raph was just being stubborn and not wanting me to work with the guy who had tried to drown me, and Mikey was still having a difficult time understanding why I wanted to un-mutate style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAt the same time, though, he was also the most sympathetic in that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter an afternoon of arguing and reasoning, Donnie and I finally convinced them that going to Stockman was the only answer in this style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI was to set out in the morning./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Before I did, though, I needed some help from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe would find my family and hint that maybe I didn't "die" after all, that I really had been simply missing for the past year or so and that the police had miraculously picked up a trail they thought led to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI just hoped they would buy the story…/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;" align="center"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Irma knocked on the heavy wooden door, twisting a strand of her hair between her fingers style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow in the world was she supposed to do this?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou can't just walk up to a family and tell them that you've been friends with their 'dead' daughter for a few months and that em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"just kidding/em she hasn't really been dead this past year and a half, just, you know, living with four giant turtles in the sewers and that, by the way, she has wings that she's currently having chopped off by a dead-just-kidding-also-not-dead scientist who can change shapes so that she can come back and live with you style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYet here she stood preparing to do just style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe door style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Hello?" asked a middle-aged man style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma took a deep breath, sizing him style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe had a knack for getting an unusually accurate first-impression of people, and something told her he would be easy to convince./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Hi, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI go to the high school around the corner."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNice to meet you, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat can I do for you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""May I come in?" she asked, asserting her confidence a little style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAngel's father raised an eyebrow in surprised, but allowed her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe nodded her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Here, come into the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou'll have to forgive the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWould you like some water?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSoda?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Juice box?" Irma asked, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe man smiled good-naturedly and tossed her a juice box from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I'm Daniel, by the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDaniel Bress."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Nice to meet you, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCan I ask you a question about your oldest daughter?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"He was stunned, but motioned for her to go style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma felt a little guilty for reopening such a harsh wound, but if she could pull this off the joy would outweigh the pain a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo, let the work style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""If I told you that as a close friend to you daughter, I had been looking into the details of her death, would you believe me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I don't see why style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe records aren't public, though, so I don't know how in-depth you could have been."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I have my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnyway, if I told you that I had found some details regarding her missing case that would suggest she hadn't died, would you believe me?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Mr. Dan was becoming more troubled as she went on and she could tell he was not daring to believe her but wanted desperately style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What did you find?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma ignored his question./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""And if I told you that I could guarantee that your daughter isn't dead, that I have talked to her face to face, and that she is very much okay, would you believe me."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Mr. Dan stared at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Sarah!" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA nice-looking woman rushed into the kitchen, a five-year-old on her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""What's wrong?" she asked, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen she saw style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Dan, who's this?" she style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanInstead of answering his wife, Mr. Dan spoke to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Hey, little man, can you go turn on a movie really quick?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMommy and I need to talk with this nice girl for a few minutes, okay?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Yeah, Daddy," cried the little one style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe scooted off his mother's hip and ran for the other room. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMr. Dan motioned for his wife to sit style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe complied, utterly confused as to what was going on./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Tell her what you told me," he told style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma cleared her throat./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Ma'am, my name is style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm a friend of your oldest daughter," she style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen the woman began to speak, Irma held up a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Please, just let me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYour daughter isn't dead, ma' style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI know you both searched for weeks to find her after she went missing almost a year and a half ago and I know you didn't find anything, but I'm here to tell you you're wrong to presume she's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe is very much alive and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe was the one who sent me here, actually."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"She pulled out a neatly-folded letter Angel had written the night before explaining everything that had happened to her in the last eighteen months, changing a few of the details so that the Turtles sounded like a normal human family and her wings were simply a "temporary medical condition" that had been style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was several pages long and all style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma gave it to the parents and quietly excused herself to the other room while they read it, holding on to each other for comfort and as proof that this was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt took them almost a half hour to get through it all and talk between the two of them before they came out to meet her in the living style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe stood, not surprised by their weepy eyes, but happy to see the joy emanating from their style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Is this true?" Sarah style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma just nodded, a gentle smile on her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I swear from the very bottom of my soul that this is true, that your daughter is alright, and that she is coming style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe's homeward bound this very style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe's working with the family that took her in to fix her condition to make it so she can return to normal life again as we style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd if all goes well, she'll be home by the end of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'll leave it to you to figure out how you want to meet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You blessed child," Sarah whispered, hugging her tightly while fresh tears streamed down her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You have done the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou have raised our daughter from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow can we ever repay you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Please," Irma protested, kindly but firmly, feeling tears well up in her own eyes, "It is not me you should be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI know she did not tell you much in her letter about the family that has taken her in for safety reasons, but it is the father of the family that you should be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd the four style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey have done more for her than you or she will ever know or they will ever take credit style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd that works the other way around, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYour daughter helped their family in ways they could not have style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut now it is time for her to come home."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Dan hugged Irma after his wife was done, then the two adults style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"We're getting our Mal back, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe's coming home," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe just nodded, still crying for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Her name is Mal?" she asked, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"After the incident she couldn't remember her name and we've wondered for so long… It's Mal?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs in, Malorie?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""No, sweetie," Sarah said kindly, sitting down on the couch where Irma had style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Mal as in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's an odd name for a girl, but it suited her from birth."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Like, Malachi from the Bible?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWasn't he a prophet or something?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFrom the Old style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHis name, translated from its original Hebrew, means "my messenger" or "my angel."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: center;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"* * * * */span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: center;"strongI'm back! I'm so sorry for disappearing for literally months, but I'm back now and am all ready to jump back on this wild adventure. Thank you to those of you who keep reading my story. You make me so happy and it brings me such a sense of joy and satisfaction to know that people are actually reading what I'm writing. PLEASE comment after you've read so I can know what you're thinking. I'd love some ideas for future stories if you have any suggestions. :D/strong/p 


	4. Chapter 4

p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I stood in the doorway leading from the Lair to the sewers, looking at the place I had called my home for over a year and a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEverybody had already said that I could come back and visit as often as I wanted to, but it would never be the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy room was packed and empty, the few clothes I was keeping already in a bag near my feet, the rest donated to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI had contacted Stockman last night and he was ecstatic that I had agreed to work with style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe sounded noticeably less excited when I told him the Turtles would be accompanying me every step of the way, but not enough to pass up such a wondrous style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe had actually apologized for his attack on me the other night, saying that he couldn't think of another way to get me to hear him out and actually consider his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhile I still did not like the man, I could understand style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTo a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We're all loaded and waiting for ya," Raph said quietly, coming up behind style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe put his massive hands on my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI lowered my wings subconsciously and leaned back against style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI suddenly felt like style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was time to go. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm ready to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLet's do this before I become sensible and change my mind," I said. Raph gave me a sad style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"That's my pigeon," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI almost lost it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You're not making this any easier, you know," I said, angrily brushing away the tears that had started to slide down my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph shrugged./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I ain't tryin' to. You know I don't like this whole idea," he pointed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI opened my mouth to say something, but he held a finger up before I could. "But if it's what will make you happy, then I'm behind you every step of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou need to know that, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe gotta look out for each style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's what families do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanI looked up at him, reminded again just how lucky I was to call these brothers my family, to call Raph my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI reached up and hugged him, burying my face in his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe hugged me tight, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHe grabbed my small bag of belongings for me and we walked to the van. Leo was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman's place wasn't far style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNot much was said on the drive style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey insisted I sit on his lap so he could hug me while we style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI didn't say style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSplinter, who was joining us, simply watched us all with careful, loving style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"All too soon we parked at the back of a small building where Stockman said he would meet style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSure enough, as soon as we stepped out of the van the scientist himself stepped out of the shadows, a big grin on his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was the well-built version of himself now, not the mouse-man we were first introduced to. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I am ever so glad to see you made it safely, my darling," he said happily, walking up to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph bristled, stepping in front to block his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Get away from her," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman froze but did not step style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm not going to harm style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt would be against my nature and my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI come from a peace-seeking people who try to maintain balance in life and death, the universe, and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanKilling such a sweet, lost soul would upset that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBelieve me when I say I am doing this not only for her, but for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe will not come to harm while under my care," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs I looked at him, something told me his motives were style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't decide if I was going to trust that part of me just yet. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Just to be sure, we're not leaving her side, Stockman," Leo said firmly, putting a hand on Raph's shoulder and staring down at the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you must," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNow Donnie was the one to answer./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We must."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanStockman motioned for us to follow style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanActually, he motioned for me to follow him and everybody else fell into line behind style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe led us through the building's back doors, which revealed a simple but highly advanced research lab with instruments that I'm sure weren't legal to own in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNobody else was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Welcome to my secret hideout," he said warmly, putting a massive arm around my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI shrugged it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe didn't seem style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSoon we came to a large, flat table with a modest white sheet over the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman grabbed me under the armpits before I knew what was going on and hefted me onto the top of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span'Please, lay style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy microbots will change you into the body suit you'll wear during the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd before you protest, it's either the body suit or your birthday suit, so I suggest you take the body style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAny other fabric will hinder the operation."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"And what exactly is the operation?" Donnie asked, pure curiosity barely style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI knew that he was just as concerned for me as each of the others, but his curiosity sometimes got the better of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhile Stock man began to explain, several toaster-sized robots flew over to me, hovering above the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOne of them held up a sheet separating me from the rest of the group while the others cut off my old clothes and pressed the form-fitting suit to my body before the cool air could chill my bare style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey were done in less than a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy old clothes lay in rags at my feet and on me was what appeared to be some sort of modified spandex style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnkle to wrist to collarbone, I was covered in this weird new style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe microbots gathered the ragged remains of my clothes and whizzed them off somewhere, presumably to a trash style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI frowned style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThose had been my favourite style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman was talking/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"… found thatt he mutagen infused in her blood is creating all of her 'abnormalities', so if we simply defuse the mutagen she will turn back style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat was the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut I've tried that before and it's had disastrous results, results I'm not willing to risk having Miss Angel here style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo we're going to alter the program a little style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut first, will you please go sit in the chairs over there?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA Plexiglas wall is going to separate you from the two of us while she undergoes the procedure, for em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"everyone's /emsafety," he said, emphasizing the last part to stop the arguments he could see rising on the brothers' style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanReluctantly, they complied, each sitting in a chair thirty feet away from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSure enough, a thick, Plexiglas wall slid up from the floor and sealed to the ceiling with a soft style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Now, my dear," Stockman crooned, speaking to me, "this won't take style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaybe an style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPlease, lay style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAre you afraid of needles?" he asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I don't particularly enjoy them, but I'm not scared of them, no."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm going to put this one…" he pulled a large shot out of his left coat pocket. "…into your left arm and this one…" he pulled out another large shot out of his right pocket. "…into your right style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe one on the left will take out your mutated blood and the one on the right will replace it with normal human style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen you shall be normal and the universe shall be balanced once again," he finished, almost glowing with style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You really are doing this out of good will, aren't you?" I asked, realizing as I asked that it was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe nodded solemnly, putting a large, black hand on my cheek softly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Yes, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI made a very bad first impression of myself when we first met, and I shall continue to apologize for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut I had to be sure that they," he motioned to the Turtles, who were watching the two of us anxiously, "would take care of you after this was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe only way to do that was to put you in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen I saw that they would go to any lengths to save you, I knew you would be in good hands after the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt will be difficult acclimating to normal life again, but they will help you get back on your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm sure of it."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Forgive me, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI misjudged you," I apologized, suddenly feeling a grudging respect for this strange style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe smiled at me, his teeth brilliantly white against his dark style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It is a good thing you are not a chief justice, then, no?" he said style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI chuckled and laid style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe inserted the IV's into my arms and hooked them up to two large machines that came up from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOne had a large container of what I had to assume was non-mutated blood, and the other container was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat one was for my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Do I have to stay awake for this?" I asked, already getting a little style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman considered my question for a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I should think style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt might be best if you were asleep, actually, to reduce the trauma," he said, more to himself than to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe reached into a drawer under the table and pulled out a much smaller shot than the ones currently in my arms and injected the substance into my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanImmediately, I began to feel style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman pressed a button on the underside of the table and thick, nylon straps suddenly appeared across my upper arms, chest, waist, thighs, calves, and ankles./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"For safety," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"We don't want you moving around while you are sleeping, do we?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAll I could do was shake my head style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI strained to see the Turtles on the other side of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't see style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI began to freak style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA heart monitor Stockman must have put on me began to beep faster and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen they were there, all four of them, looking at me through the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe beeping style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy eyelids felt like style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen, the world went style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt felt like I had barely closed my eyes when I was being dragged from sleep, much against my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSomething was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"There was dull yelling, bright flashing lights, frantic beeping. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Pounding on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Buttons being style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"More style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Then, fire./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"There was fire in my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI was burning!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I tried screaming, but I couldn't escape the fog of sleep still surrounding style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI tried opening my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTried style="mso-spacerun: yes;" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSomething was tying me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"A huge style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCold style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBlessed cold style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMore voices, not dulled anymore. Yelling. I still couldn't understand the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy ears felt style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSomeone take the fire away!/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Then, it was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe beeping, the yelling, the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI could style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI could feel the fire being drawn away, vein by vein, until I could breathe style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I fell asleep style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't know for how style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNot long style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThis time, I woke up more style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI wasn't on fire style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the harsh style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFour figures stood above me, talking quietly between style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen they all hushed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Angel?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAre you awake?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCan you hear me?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDon, how are her vitals?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe other machine broke when Stockman yanked the cord."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Vital signs style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd I mean style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs in, human style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBlood pressure stabilizing, core body temperature stabilizing, heart rate steadying…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I tried to sit up, but large, gentle, three-fingered hands held me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Not yet, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou ain't done yet."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""What happened?" I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe others looked at each other sadly, not sure what to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFinally, Mikey spoke./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""The procedure didn't really work out like Stockman thought it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou weren't taking the normal blood like you should style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt… it was killing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe all went berserk. Nobody could stop yelling, Raph said some new swear words, and finally we all broke the glass so we could get to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman was freaking out, pressing all sorts a buttons and levers and things and finally he just yanked the tube from your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut you were losing a lot of blood because your body was trying to get rid of the stuff he had put in you, so he… he gave you style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEnough of the normal blood was kept in your body that your half-human blood and his already half-human blood will make you almost human style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's a miracle you two have the same blood style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're gonna be human, Angel," he explained style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't believe my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Where's Stockman?" I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI had to talk to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey motioned to the floor on the right side of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe helped me sit up and peek over the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSure enough, Stockman was sitting back against a leg of the table, hooked up to a machine that was taking his blood and giving it to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe looked up at me and smiled style="mso-spacerun: yes;" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Hello, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm glad to see you are doing better style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe went through some scary minutes, no?" he asked, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"All is better now, no?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith a sickening feeling I realized he was going to die if he kept giving me his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe heart rate monitor began to beep style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Look, I'm fine now, see?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou don't have to do this style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou don't have to…" I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI couldn't think style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe laughed weakly, his eyes beginning to close style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey helped me to the floor so I could sit next to the man that was dying so that I could style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe others stood around us silently, having nothing to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanStockman continued, his voice growing softer with each style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You will live now, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd you will live a normal style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe balance will be restored to you and your family and your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd I… I will finally be rid of this wretched half-life I have been stuck in for so many style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI will finally be able to run in the land of green hills where my father is, where my grandfather is, where my ancestors style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd I will run as a man now, no?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI will run…as…a man…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Stockman's head fell against his chest style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was gone./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I don't remember much of the next two style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo told me later that I started crying after Stockman style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was all a blur to me. Donnie had sent an anonymous signal to the police so they came upon the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe had been sure to take care of any evidence that would have led to the discovery of mutagen or mutants at all, though, so all the police found was a middle-aged man who had died mysteriously but peacefully in his sleep at work in a room completely sterilized and clear of any DNA or style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey were able to give Stockman a proper style="mso-spacerun: yes;" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Now we were almost to April's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI would stay with her for a few days to get used to my new style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI grimaced as I remembered the episode following Stockman's death./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Come on, Angel, we've got to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDonnie needs to get this place clear so we can go before the police get here."/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Help me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI—where are they?"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Where are what?"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""My wings?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhere are my wings!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey're gone!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWho took them?"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Angel, we knew this was going to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's the whole reason we came style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe—"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""No, you don't understand!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey're gone!"/span/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I had been in shock, Donnie style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhich was totally style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLike how people who lost limbs in wars go into style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI went into style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph had to hold me so I couldn't move until I calmed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter I did, he explained to me how my wings had seemed to grow back into my back until they disappeared style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBecause a small percentage of my blood was still infused with mutagen, Donnie had told me, there was a small chance they might grow back at some point in my life, but it was highly style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat filled me with an unexpected style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt felt weird now to be able to fully sit back against a chair, to feel the rough fabric brushing against my back, to not have that familiar weight pulling me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe first time I had tried to walk I almost fell forward as I tried to get used to having a normal center of balance again. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"But here we style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI was going to see my family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"We arrived at April's house a little before style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe was waiting out on the porch for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo held the back of the van open for me so I could hop style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was still light outside, though, so neither he nor his brothers could escort me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd to tell the truth, I felt more than a little uncomfortable walking out in broad daylight after needing to hide in the shadows for so style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Call us if you need anything," Leo style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI knew that if I got so much as a papercut one of them would be there as soon as I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI had a suspicion that letting me go was harder for them than they made it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was hard for me, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut I cheered myself up by reminding myself that I could still visit them style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's not like we were never going to see each other style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSignificantly happier, I walked up to April carefully and gave her a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe Turtles made sure we made it safely into the building before driving style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You look great," April complimented as we walked up the stairs to her apartment style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI feel… style="mso-spacerun: yes;" style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNot having wings feels so… style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't even know how to describe it," I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe nodded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I can style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's going to take some getting used style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut I bet you'll feel better after a nice long style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCome on in and we'll get you all set style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSplinter gave me some exercises to do with you that will help you acclimate to your new style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOr, your old style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm not even sure what to say anymore," she said, laughing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut yes, a shower does sound style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThank you for letting me stay here, by the way."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Of course!" she exclaimed as we arrived at the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I stood in the shower as April got dinner ready, letting the hot water pour over my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI thought of my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy mother, my father, my brothers and sisters…it had been so style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA year and a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow was I going to meet them?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat could I say?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat if they asked questions I couldn't answer?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Suddenly, as if having an epiphany, I remembered that this was my family I was talking style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThis is what I had been dreaming about for almost two years and now it was finally here!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI was scared, of course, but more than anything I was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI realized that no matter what happened in the next few hours, I was going to be with my family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy heart began to pound and a smile spread over my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril knocked on the door./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Angel?" she called through the door./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Yeah?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You'll have to cut your shower style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma just texted and said that your parents couldn't wait to see style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey're on their way here now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I got out of the shower quickly, getting dressed in record time and pulling my hair up into a messy up-do to keep it out of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI had no belongings to pack, so I began pacing the living room style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril continued cooking style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""How long until they get here?" I asked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe gave me a patient smile. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""About ten style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey live all the way across town, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's my home too, you know."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I began pacing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNine minutes later, there was a knock at the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI froze, suddenly unable to convince my body to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril came out of the kitchen and led me to the couch in the front room, gently shoving me onto one of the cushions, and walked over to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe opened it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Hello!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanO'neil style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMay I help you?" the sporty reporter asked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDaniel and Sarah exchanged style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma had a huge smile on her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""We were told you had someone for us," Daniel finally style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanApril smiled, stepping back from the doorway. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Why don't you see for yourself?" she style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Then I saw them./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"They looked just like I had remembered style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDad still had his crooked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMom's hair was still in a high ponytail with wisps of hair escaping all over her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBoth of them stared at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Mom?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDad?" I asked, my voice style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI stood and took a tentative step towards style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen Mom was running across the hardwood and pulling me into her arms, sobbing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Malachi!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOh, my baby girl!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"alive!/emspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe thought you were dead and we were heartbroken but you're here and alive and…oh, my precious, baby girl."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Dad wasn't far behind her, hugging us both and pulling my head into his chest, murmuring intelligible phrases into my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTears streamed down my face as I smiled and laughed and cried all at the same time. Then, suddenly, there were little people pulling at my shirt and clothes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Mal, is that really you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""We thought you were dead!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Mal!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"I looked down and sure enough, there were Kim and Andie, matching hairdos and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI released myself from my parents grasp and knelt down beside them, hugging them both at the same style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey clung to me, throwing their small arms around my neck getting their fingers caught in my hair./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Yes, honeys, it really is style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm back."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Austin stood a little ways off, watching us all very style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI remembered last Christmas when I had given him the note in the snow and he had seen me, wings and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe looked at me with big, brown, steady style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Are you my sister?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI passed Kim and Andie over to my parents and scooted over to him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""What do you think?" I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAustin didn't move./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""You were dead," he finally style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I know that's what they told style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBut I was just missing and couldn't tell any of you where I was so you wouldn't get in trouble or style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo, I had to pretend to be…"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""…dead." Austin finished for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe refused to look me in the eye, instead staring at the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I don't believe you," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"My sister is style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe police said so."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Austin, baby, do you remember last Christmas?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen you got the note in the snow?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"His eyes snapped up at that and he met my gaze for the first style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You know about the note?" he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Nobody else believed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWas that you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"My heart jerked, but I had prepared for this style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"No," I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"That wasn't style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat was an angel I sent to tell you that I was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI know it's hard to believe, but I need you to trust style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe note said that I would be coming back, didn't it?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Austin nodded, tears gathering in his disbelieving style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThen he was hugging me and burying his face in my shoulder./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I knew it!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI knew you weren't gone, Mal!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNobody believed me when I said I saw the girl with wings but I did and she said you'd be home and now here you are and I'm never letting you go style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI love you so much, sissy."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Mom, Dad, Kim, and Andie joined in the hug so we were all a kneeling, tear-y eyed mess of people and hugs and emotions, and finally, after 18 long months, I was able to say the four words I had longed to say to my family one more time./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I love you, too."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span*/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Outside, watching through the window from the building across the street, Donnie turned off the mini-projector style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIrma had been secretly streaming the whole scene through her phone so Don and the other four could watch style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey were on top of the neighboring building, making sure their adopted sister got back to her biological family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaster Splinter placed a wrinkled hand on his son's shoulder. Donnie gave him a sad style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""She will be happy now," he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanLeo, sitting with his shell against the air conditioning unit, gently elbowed Michelangelo, who was staring at the ground style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMikey gave him a sad style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanRaph was standing off to the side, arms folded across his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""I guess our job here is done, then?" he asked no one in particular./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""For the moment, yes," Splinter style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFour pairs of masked eyes looked up at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"This chapter of our lives is closing, but it is not an unhappy ending, is it?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAngel, or Malachi I guess I should say, has found her home with her family after being separated for over a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThis is a happy day style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDo not let it be tainted by selfish sadness, my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBe happy for your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd trust that we will see her again in the near future."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;""Hai, sensei," they style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Then, after gathering the few things they had needed to make the projector work, they made their way back into the night, leaving nothing but shadow in their style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p 


	5. Chapter 5

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: center;"strongspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Sorry to do this to you, but here's a nice little teaser for what is to come./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: center;"strongspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Angel has found her home, but does she really belong there after all that has happened? If so, she has a huge fight ahead of her to keep the life she's yearned so desperately for for the last year and a half. If not, then a whole new set of adventures opens up./span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: center;"strongspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Enjoy! :)/span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: center;"strongspan style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"* * * * */span/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"Angel still wasn't used to being called Mal, but as the evening wore on she found herself becoming more and more comfortable with her own family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey talked for hours, leaving out a few parts here and there as was necessary to make the story match that she had illustrated in her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanInside her chest, her heart swelled with love for her family, pumping her blood through her new body with style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanInside her heart, however, a single cell quivered and shifted an imperceptible nanometer as a sudden tremor ran through style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs it trembled, it began to change shape just a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe other cells, suddenly aware of an unfamiliar presence in their midst, quickly attacked and killed their mutated companion, but not before the tremor began to infect the others, one cell at a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p 


End file.
